(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vaccination method for mammals wherein the vaccine is potentiated in its antibody response by a leukokine or mixed leukokines administered with the vaccine. In particular, the present invention relates to the potentiation of an equine influenza vaccine or a canine parvovirus vaccine or a murine administered vaccine with mixed equine leukokines.
(2) Prior Art
The term "interferon" is generally used by the prior art to refer to induced proteins of leucocyte and of fibroblast origins which interfere with viral replication. The terms "leukokine" or "leucokine" have been used in the recent literature to characterize proteins including interferons of leukocyte origins and the term leukokine is used herein.
The prior art relating to interferon is extensive. U.S. Pat. No. 3,699,222 (1972) to Isaacs and Lindenmann describes the original research with interferon as an antiviral agent. U.S. Pat. No. 4,503,035 (1985) to Pestka and Rubinstein describes purified interferons and in particular the use of leukocytes and a virus (Newcastle Disease virus) for inducing the interferons. Example 7 of this patent particularly describes the use of this procedure to produce equine interferon.
The presence of interferons in the blood stream with virus vaccines is known. U.S. Pat. No. 3,906,092 to Hilleman, Tytell and Woodhour (1975) describes the use of inducing polynucleotides as adjuvants to non-replicating (killed virus) vaccines to enhance antibody formation. The polynucleotides can induce interferon although interferon does not appear to be responsible for the result achieved by Hilleman et al. An adjuvant is necessary to achieve the results disclosed. The administration of mixed live Newcastle disease virus vaccine and interferon to provide an enhanced protection for chickens is described as prior art in this patent, but there is no description of the administration of interferon and a non-replicating virus vaccine. There does not appear to be an enhanced antibody response.
Vaccination with commercially available inactivated equine influenza virus vaccine alone (consisting of killed virus of tissue culture origin) produces a variable humoral immune antibody response in equines. This variation is in the magnitude of the antibody response, the time course in which the equine responds to the vaccine, and the duration of the antibody response. These variations have been recognized and accepted as due to biological variation of the species' immune system. Where there is an urgent need for immunity, the equine is repeatedly vaccinated with influenza vaccine.
New and more potent vaccines which augment the equine's immune response to influenza or other viral vaccine vaccination and thereby greatly increase both the likelihood and extent of a protected period with less frequent vaccination, are needed. Further, vaccines are needed where there is a less variable response to the vaccination.
In canines there is a need for early vaccination to prevent diseases such as parvovirus, distemper, rabies and adenovirus. The problem is that the puppies have maternal antibodies to any vaccine, which prevents early vaccination. Other animals, particularly cats, have the same problem. It would be highly desirable if vaccines could be developed for effective early vaccination of young animals while the maternal anitbodies are still present.